U niversity of Colorado football fans are searching for answers as the Buffs head into the last few games of another losing season.

Support is dwindling as fans question the tactics of head coach Jon Embree, the players' lack of experience and decisions made by athletic director Mike Bohn.

There's plenty of blame to go around for the Buffs' five-game losing streak and 1-8 record as they prepare to face the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday. But one thing fans seem to agree on is that the problems center on former head coach Dan Hawkins.

Hawkins was fired in November 2010 following a loss at Kansas in which the Buffs gave up 35 unanswered points and blew a 28-point fourth quarter lead.

Two years later, the Buffs are still digging themselves out of the hole Hawkins dug during his nearly five years at the university, said some fans.

"There's been one good game since I've been in Colorado, and it was in 2008, thanks to Hawkins," said CU senior Chad Linville. "Hawkins caused a lot of problems when he was here and he left a sour taste in people's mouths."

Linville said he came to CU as a freshman knowing how important football culture is to student life. The Florida native said he bought season tickets without hesitation and came to Boulder ready to cheer on his Buffs.

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But after four losing seasons and more blowouts than he can count, Linville said he has only attended one game in the past two years.

"I decided not to buy season tickets this year or last year, and not because they were expensive but because it's not fun to go watch your team get killed," Linville said.

CU sophomore Natalie Stafford was never optimistic about the team's success, but said she was more disappointed than expected this year after watching the team take multiple beatings on the field.

"It's not like I expected them to be good, but it's worse than I thought," Stafford said. "The Oregon game was really the tipping point for me. It was so, so bad."

Stafford said she hasn't attended any games since becoming a Buff and she isn't planning on going anytime soon.

"Who wants to go watch their team get pummeled like that," Stafford said.

Despite two losing seasons, Linville said he's not ready to get rid of Embree, who is trying to overcome the challenges left by Hawkins.

"He's still working with Hawkins recruits and trying to fix that system that was in place when he got here," Linville said. "I think you have to give him time to bring in his own recruits and see what he can do then. He deserves another year or two at least."

Some fans said it's not losing games that is the most frustrating thing -- it's that the team's not putting up a fight.

"The players just look run down on the field the whole time," she said. "Maybe they need some more conditioning and to be pushed harder by the coaching staff."

CU junior Derek Krcil said the players' lack of experience is to blame for the poor game day performances.

"They're playing at the high school level still, and they can't do that in the Pac-12," Krcil said. "It's the coaches' jobs to help the players move up to the next level and help them develop those skills and they have the experience so I'm not sure where the disconnect is."

Krcil wore his Buffs hat and gold and black shirt Thursday despite his disappointment with the team's performance.

"I'm a Buff through and through," Krcil said. "I'll do my best to support them no matter what, even though it's been hard."

Despite their disappointment with the football team, fans said they haven't lost all of their school spirit -- the basketball season looks promising.

"I think we're all focused on basketball at this point," Stafford said. "At least we have one really great team to get behind and to support so we're not completely missing out on that experience of cheering on your team."

The men’s basketball team opens the season tonight at the Coors Events Center against Wofford College at 5 p.m.

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